Kathryn Conroy is the executive director of the Kenworthy-Swift Foundation, which funds mental health services for children and youth. She received her Master’s in Social Work at Hunter College and her doctorate in Social Welfare at the CUNY Graduate Center. Her work, mostly in child welfare and with battered women, has been in nonprofit agencies, the Mayor’s Office of NYC and for 18 years as Assistant Dean at Columbia University School of Social Work. Kathryn has an insider’s perspective on Kolot’s origin and evolution, as the congregation began with a conversation around her dining room table. She is the wife of Rabbi Ellen Lippmann and Kathryn believes that their intermarriage positioned Kolot to be so accepting as a congregation. She has an interesting outlook as a non-Jewish person who was involved in Kolot Chayeinu from its beginning and is a member. Kathryn says that she is most proud of the community that has been built at Kolot. Three words she would use to describe herself are: woman, lesbian, and social worker.

In this interview, Kathryn Conroy recounts the early stages of Kolot Chayeinu through the lense of her marriage to Rabbi Ellen Lippmann and their vibrant, interesting, and successful lives together. Conroy reflects on Lippmann’s ambitious founding of a new and inclusive Brooklym congregation with characteristic dry quips and tenderness. Some charming moments of the interview are embodied in phrases such as, “What did I know?” The interview showcases the intricacies of both Lippmann and Conroy’s lives. Conroy’s career is broadly documented throughout the interview, noting her involvement in the founding of the first women’s shelter in the state of New York and her tenure as Assistant Dean at Columbia University, amongst many other endeavors. Stories about Conroy’s early years as a social worker alongside the constant character of her partnership with Lippmann showcase Conroy’s traits as both a diligent trailblazer and spouse. Themes of success, partnership, leadership, care, and dedication are all found within this interview.

“Doubt is an act of faith.” In this clip, Kathryn describes one of her meaningful contributions to the developing mission statement of what would become Kolot Chayeinu. She reflects on the evolution of the phrase, “doubt is an act of faith,” as well as other “slogans” that came to embody the core principles of the Kolot Chayeinu that is still growing today.

“How bad could this get?” In this clip, Kathryn describes her thoughts during the early days of Kolot. She describes her belief that Ellen was “always going to accomplish great things.” But, she certainly didn’t expect something as big as Kolot to come into their lives.

“The archery thing.” In this clip, Kathryn describes how her Zen Archery practice came to be. There are a few surprises in here, notably some that highlight a little known personality trait of Rabbi Ellen Lippmann’s. Kathryn tells this story with a warmth that is almost contagious.